chop [chopchopschoppedchopping] verb, noun BrE [tʃɒp] NAmE [tʃɑːp] verb (-pp-) 1. to cut sth into pieces with a sharp tool such as a knife •~ sth He was chopping logs for firewood. • Add the finely chopped onions. •~ sth (up) (into sth) Chop the carrots up into small pieces. • (figurative)The country was chopped up into small administrative areas. 2. usually passive ~ sth (from sth) (to sth) (informal)to reduce sth by a large amount; to stop sth Syn: ↑cut •The share price was chopped from 50 pence to 20 pence. 3.~ sb/sth to hit sb/sth with a short downward stroke or blow Verb forms:
Word Origin: v. and n. senses 1 to 3 late Middle English ↑chap late Middle English ‘barter, exchange’ Old English cēap ‘bargaining, trade’ chap-
Thesaurus: chop verb T •Roughly chop the herbs. cut • • slice • • dice • chop/cut/slice sth off sth chop/cut/slice sth up chop/slice an onion
Collocations: Cooking Preparing prepare a dish/a meal/a menu/dinner/the fish weigh out 100g/4oz of sugar/the ingredients wash/rinse the lettuce/spinach/watercress chop/slice/dice the carrots/onions/potatoes peel the carrots/onion/potatoes/garlic/orange grate a carrot/the cheese/some nutmeg remove/discard the bones/seeds/skin blend/combine/mix (together) the flour and water/all the ingredients beat/whisk the cream/eggs/egg whites knead/shape/roll (out) the dough Cooking heat the oil in a frying pan preheat/heat the oven/(BrE) the grill/(NAmE) the broiler bring to (BrE) the boil/(NAmE) a boil stir constantly/gently with a wooden spoon reduce the heat simmer gently for 20 minutes/until reduced by half melt the butter/chocolate/cheese/sugar brown the meat for 8-20 minutes drain the pasta/the water from the pot/in a colander mash the potatoes/banana/avocado Ways of cooking cook food/fish/meat/rice/pasta/a Persian dish bake (a loaf of) bread/a cake/(especially NAmE) cookies/(BrE) biscuits/a pie/potatoes/fish/scones/muffins boil cabbage/potatoes/an egg/water fry/deep-fry/stir-fry the chicken/vegetables grill meat/steak/chicken/sausages/a hot dog roast potatoes/peppers/meat/chicken/lamb sauté garlic/mushrooms/onions/potatoes/vegetables steam rice/vegetables/spinach/asparagus/dumplings toast bread/nuts microwave food/popcorn/(BrE) a ready meal Serving serve in a glass/on a bed of rice/with potatoes arrange the slices on a plate/in a layer carve the meat/lamb/chicken/turkey dress/toss a salad dress with/drizzle with olive oil/vinaigrette top with a slice of lemon/a scoop of ice cream/whipped cream/syrup garnish with a sprig of parsley/fresh basil leaves/lemon wedges/a slice of lime/a twist of orange sprinkle with salt/sugar/herbs/parsley/freshly ground black pepper
Example Bank: •Add finely chopped parsley. •Chop the meat into small cubes. •He chopped off the small branches before cutting down the tree. •I spent the day chopping up vegetables. •Roughly chop the cabbage. •The furniture had been chopped to pieces. •The trees are being chopped down. •There are concerns over how quickly the forests are being chopped down. Idioms: ↑chop and change▪ ↑for the chop▪ ↑get given the chop▪ ↑not much chop Derived: ↑chop at something▪ ↑chop something down▪ ↑chop something off
noun 1. countable a thick slice of meat with a bone attached to it, especially from a pig or sheep •a pork/lamb chop 2. countable an act of cutting sth with a quick downward movement using an ↑axe or a knife •Give the mushrooms a quick chop before adding them to the pan. 3. countable an act of hitting sb/sth with the side of your hand in a quick downward movement •a karate chop 4.chopsplural (informal)the part of a person's or an animal's face around the mouth •The dog sat licking its chops.
Word Origin: v. and n. senses 1 to 3 late Middle English ↑chap late Middle English ‘barter, exchange’ Old English cēap ‘bargaining, trade’ chap-
(-pp-)